List of multinational festivals and holidays in December

Buddhism

• Bodhi Day: 8 December – Day of Enlightenment, celebrating the day that the historical Buddha (Shakyamuni or Siddhartha Gautama) experienced enlightenment (also known as Bodhi).

Christianity

• Advent: four Sundays preceding Christmas Day
• Krampusnacht: 5 December – The Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated in parts of Europe on 6 December. In Alpine countries, Saint Nicholas has a devilish companion named Krampus who punishes the bad children the night before.
• Saint Nicholas' Day: 6 December
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception Day: 8 December – The day of Virgin Mary's Immaculate Conception is celebrated as a public holiday in many Catholic countries.
• Saint Lucia's Day: 13 December – Church Feast Day. Saint Lucia comes as a young woman with lights and sweets.
• Las Posadas: 16–24 December – procession to various family lodgings for celebration & prayer and to re-enact Mary & Joseph's journey to Bethlehem
• Longest Night: A modern Christian service to help those coping with loss, usually held on the eve of theWinter solstice. 
• Christmas Eve: 24 December – In many countries e.g. the German speaking countries, but also in Poland, Hungary and the Nordic countries, gift giving is on 24 December.
• Christmas Day: 25 December and 7 January – celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike.
• Anastasia of Sirmium feast day: 25 December
• Twelve Days of Christmas: 25 December–6 January
• Saint Stephen's Day: 26 December – In Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic a holiday celebrated as Second Day of Christmas.
• Saint John the Evangelist's Day: 27 December
• Holy Innocents' Day: 28 December
• Saint Sylvester's Day: 31 December

Hinduism

• Pancha Ganapati: a modern five-day Hindu festival celebrated from December 21 through 25 in honor of Ganesha.

Historical

• Malkh: 25 December
• Modraniht: or Mothers' Night, the Saxon winter solstice festival.
• Saturnalia: 17–23 December – An ancient Roman winter solstice festival in honor of the deity Saturn, held on the 17 December of the Julian calendar and expanded with festivities through to 23 December. Celebrated with sacrifice, a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival.
• Dies Natalis Solis Invicti (Day of the birth of the Unconquered Sun): 25 December – late Roman Empire

Humanism

• HumanLight: 23 December – Humanist holiday originated by the New Jersey Humanist Network in celebration of "a Humanist's vision of a good future."

Judaism

• Hanukkah: usually falls anywhere between late November and early January.

Paganism

• Pagan winter festival that was celebrated by the historical Germanic people from late December to early January.
• Yalda: 21 December – The turning point, Winter Solstice. As the longest night of the year and the beginning of the lengthening of days, Shabe Yaldā or Shabe Chelle is an Iranian festival celebrating the victory of light and goodness over darkness and evil. Shabe yalda means 'birthday eve.' According to Persian mythology, Mithra was born at dawn on 22 December to a virgin mother. He symbolizes light, truth, goodness, strength, and friendship. Herodotus reports that this was the most important holiday of the year for contemporary Persians. In modern times Persians celebrate Yalda by staying up late or all night, a practice known as Shab Chera meaning 'night gazing'. Fruits and nuts are eaten, especially pomegranates and watermelons, whose red color invokes the crimson hues of dawn and symbolize Mithra.
• Koliada: Slavic winter festival celebrated on late December with parades and singers who visit houses and receive gifts.

Secular

• Boxing Day: 26 December.
• Human Rights Day: 10 December
• Dongzhi Festival – a celebration of Winter
• Hogmanay: night of 31 December–before dawn of 1 January – Scottish New Year's Eve celebration
• Newtonmas: 25 December – As an alternative to celebrating the religious holiday Christmas, some atheists and skeptics have chosen to celebrate December 25 as Newtonmas, due to it being Isaac Newton's birthday on the old style date.
• Kwanzaa: 26 December–1 January – Pan-African festival celebrated in the US
• New Year's Eve: 31 December – last day of the Gregorian year 
• Soyal: 21 December – Zuni and Hopi
• Solstice: On or about 21 December.
• Zamenhof Day: 15 December – Birthday of Ludwig Zamenhof, inventor of Esperanto; holiday reunion for Esperantists
• Watch Night: 31 December

Unitarian Universalism

• Chalica: first week of December – A holiday created in 2005, celebrated by some Unitarian Universalists. 

Fictional or parody

• Erastide: In David Eddings' Belgariad and Malloreon series, Erastide is a celebration of the day on which the Seven Gods created the world. Greetings ("Joyous Erastide") and gifts are exchanged, and feasts are held.
• Feast of Winter Veil: 15 December–2 January – A holiday in World of Warcraft. This holiday is based on Christmas. Cities are decorated with lights and a tree with presents. Special quests, items and snowballs are available to players during this time. The character of "Greatfather Winter", who is modeled after Santa Claus, appears. Festival of the Winter Veil was and still is a legitimate holiday of European religions like Wicca. The Germanic tribes used to celebrate the Winter Solstice as a time to be thankful for the blessings given to them to survive harsh winters. The term "Weil", incorrectly translated to "veil", means abundance in German.
• Feast of Alvis: in the TV series Sealab 2021. "Believer, you have forgotten the true meaning of Alvis Day. Neither is it ham, nor pomp. Nay, the true meaning of Alvis day is drinking. Drinking and revenge."–Alvis
• Hogswatch: a holiday celebrated on the fictional world of Discworld. It is very similar to the Christian celebration of Christmas.
• Festivus: 23 December – a parody holiday created by Daniel O'Keefe and made popular by Seinfield as an alternative to Christmas.
• Frostvale: the winter holidays in the Artix Entertainment universe
• Decemberween: 25 December – a parody of Christmas that features gift-giving, carol-singing and decorated trees. The fact that it takes place on December 25, the same day as Christmas, has been presented as just a coincidence, and it has been stated that Decemberween traditionally takes place "55 days after Halloween". The holiday has been featured in the Homestar Runner series.
• Wintersday, the end-of-the-year celebration in the fictional universe of the Guild Wars franchise, starts every year mid December and ends the next year on early January.
• IES Competition Time, Don's Event questions on the number of trips he took all over the world and in return offering prizes for the person who can guess closest. Follows this up with everyone's favourite Andrew Award presentation.
• Winter's Crest, the winter celebration held on the continent of Tal'Dorei in the world of Exandria, as featured in the RPG show Critical Role. 

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Resources: www.gone-ta-pott.com / wikipedia.org / freedictionary.com / ChaseCalendar

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Christmas Party Ornament Exchange Woes

Ornament Exchange Gift Etiquette

5 reasons why ornaments make great token gifts for Christmas

What is a Candle Follower

https://amzn.to/2P1CQXB

We are always celebrating something and we are always using candles during the holiday season... so I though it would be helpful to pass on information about "candle followers". This is a helpful item that many people are not aware is available.

What is a Candle Follower?

These are glass or metal tubes with an internal stricture partway along, which sit around the top of a lit candle. As the candle burns, the wax melts and the follower holds the melted wax in, whilst the stricture rests on the topmost solid portion of wax. Candle followers are often deliberately heavy or weighted to ensure they move down as the candle burns lower, maintaining a seal and preventing wax escape. The purpose of a candle follower is threefold:

• To contain the melted wax, making the candle more efficient, avoiding mess, and producing a more even burn.
• As a decoration, either due to the ornate nature of the device, or (in the case of a glass follower) through light dispersion or coloration.
• If necessary, to shield the flame from wind.

Candle followers are often found in churches on altar candles.

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Resources:  wikipedia / www.gone-ta-pott.com / amazon /

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Winter Holidays

Winter Holidays by America - from 2002
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Northern Hemisphere winter holidays:
"The winter months in the Northern Hemisphere is often accompanied by festivals and feasts. The winter holiday season is known as a period of time surrounding Christmas that was formed in order to embrace all cultural and religious celebration rather than only Christian celebrations. Usually, this period begins near the start of November and ends with New Year's Day on January 1." "The holiday season is usually commercially referred to with a broad interpretation, avoiding the reference of specific holidays like Hanukkah or Christmas." "Traditional "holiday season" festivities are usually associated with winter, including snowflakes and wintry songs." "In some Christian countries, the end of the festive season is considered to be after the feast of Epiphany, although this is only within the Christian creed.Winter holiday greetings are traditionally a part of the winter holiday season."

Holidays in honor of Winter

• January 23 - Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Days.

• February - National Blah Buster Month - Get rid of those winter blues and do do something fun.

• February 2  - Groundhog Day / USA 

• March 20 - Snowman Burning Day / USA (weird holidays)

• Saturnalia: (December 17)

• Flake Appreciation Day: (December 18)

• Winter Solstice:

Christmas

Note: The usage "holiday season" or some variation thereof is usually only used to any notable extent in the United States and Canada. Due, however, to the prevalence of celebration in these countries, this article reflects both the "Christmas season" and "holiday season" namesakes.

"The Christmas season, the (Christmas) holidays or the holiday season is a notable 2 to 4 month period that surrounds the Christmas holiday as well as other varying holidays. It is sometimes synonymous with the winter season, and is usually said to take place between approximately October and January. It has been found to have a proportionate effect on health, compared to the rest of the year. Its reference and naming by schools and governments has been the subject of controversy. It incorporates a period of shopping which comprises a peak season for the retail sector (the "Christmas shopping season"), and a period of sales at the end of the season (the "January sales")."

"The exact definition, name, and celebratory method of the period varies from culture to culture: According to Yanovski et al., in the United States the season "is generally considered to begin with Thanksgiving and end after New Year's Day". According to Axelrad, the season in the United States encompasses at least Christmas and New Year's Day, and also includes Saint Nicholas Day. The U.S. Fire Administration defines the winter holiday season as the period from December 1 to January 7. According to Chen et al., in China the Christmas/winter holiday season "is generally considered to begin with the winter solstice and end after the Lantern Festival". Some stores and shopping malls advertise their Christmas merchandise beginning after Halloween or even in late October, alongside Halloween items. In the UK Christmas food appears on supermarket shelves as early as September."

The precise definition of feasts and festival days that are encompassed by the Christmas/winter holiday season has become controversial over recent decades.

Traditionally, the only holidays included in the "season" were:

• Christmas Eve

• Christmas Day

• Boxing Day (in some countries), like Australia

• New Year's Eve,

• New Year's Day and

• Three Kings Day.

In recent times, this definition has begun to expand to include:

• Yule,

• Hanukkah,

• Kwanzaa,

• Thanksgiving and

• Black Friday. 

Due to the phenomenon of Christmas creep and the informal inclusion of American Thanksgiving, the "winter" holiday season has begun to extend into late autumn. 

• See also list of winter festivals.

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Resources:
http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/winter_holidays.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/whttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multinational_festivals_and_holidaysiki/
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November 25 Holidays

November 25 Holidays

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• American Indian Heritage Month (November)

• Bosnia and Herzegovina Statehood Day

• National Parfait Day: food holiday / every November 25

• Chitlin' Strut (November, Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving) Nov 25, 2017; Nov 25, 2021; Nov 25, 2022; Nov 25, 2023

• Horse Show and Rodeo American Royal Livestock (October-November)

• Manger Yam

• National Bible Week (November, begins the Sunday before Thanksgiving) Nov 25, 2017; Nov 25, 2021; Nov 25, 2022; Nov 25, 2023

• Pilgrim Thanksgiving Day (Last Thursday in November) Nov 25, 2021

Celebrated in: United States
Massachusetts

• River Kwai Bridge Week (Last week in November)

• St. Catherine's Day

Celebrated in: Estonia

• Suriname Independence Day

• Thanksgiving (Fourth Thursday in November (U.S.); second Monday in October (Canada)) Nov 25, 2021

• Umoja Karamu (Fourth Sunday in November) Nov 25, 2012; Nov 25, 2018

• Zwiebelmarkt (Fourth Monday in November) Nov 25, 2013; Nov 25, 2019

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https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/November+25

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Todays Holiday is Chitlin Strut

The Chitlin' Strut is a feast of chitlins, or chitterlings (hog intestines), held in the small town of Salley, South Carolina. 

The affair features a "hawg-calling" contest, country music, arts and crafts, a parade, lots of chitlins (about 8,000 pounds are devoured each year), and chicken for those not enamored of chitlins. Chitlins are prepared by cleaning them well, boiling them until they are tender, and then, after coating them in egg and crumbs, frying them in deep fat until they're crackling crisp.

Salley was named for Col. Dempsey Hammond Salley, who donated the site in the 19th century.
The Chitlin' Strut began in 1966 to raise money for the town's Christmas decorations. The Strut now draws as many as 50,000 people, and Salley, with a population of 700, has used the revenues from it to pay for such necessities as trash cans,signs, and even a fire truck.
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What is a chitlin?

Chitterlings sometimes spelled/pronounced chitlins or chittlins) are a prepared food usually made from the small intestines of a pig, although the intestines of cattle and other animals are sometimes used.
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In the United States 

chitterlings are part of the Southern United States culinary tradition commonly called "soul food".

Chitterlings are carefully cleaned and rinsed several times before they are boiled or stewed for several hours. A common practice is to place a halved onion in the pot to mitigate the very unpleasant odor that can be particularly strong when the chitterlings begin to cook. Chitterlings sometimes are battered and fried after the stewing process and commonly are served with apple cider vinegar and hot sauce as condiments.

When slavery was legal in America, slave owners commonly fed their slaves as cheaply as possible. At hog butchering time, the best cuts of meat were kept for the master's household and the remainder, such as fatback, snouts, ears, neck bones, feet, and intestines, were given to the slaves. (website)

In 2003, the Smithsonian Institution's Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture accepted the papers of Shauna Anderson and her business, The Chitlin Market, as part of its emerging collection of materials about African American celebrations, foods and foodways.

Preparing Chitterlings for the Holidays

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Resources:

• Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary, Fourth Edition. S.v. "Chitlin' Strut." Retrieved November 24 2018 from Go to freedictionary for contact information
• www.gone-ta-pott.com
• wikipedia.org

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November 24 is National Sardines Day

Happy National Sardines Day everyone!

When is this celebrated?

National Sardines Day is celebrated every November 24th each year.

Who celebrates this holiday?

Everyone who loves sardines!

How is this holiday celebrated?

by searching out yummy ways of eating sardines and introducing them to friends and family.

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Sardines? What are they?
Sardines are a nutrient-rich, small, oily fish widely consumed by humans and as forage fish for larger fish species, seabirds and marine mammals. It is a source of omega-3 fatty acids. They are commonly served in cans, but fresh sardines are often grilled, pickled, or smoked.

Sardines, are related to 
herrings, family Clupeidae. The term sardine was first used in English during the early 15th century, and may come from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, around which sardines were once abundant.

Sardines are commercially fished for a variety of uses: 
for bait; for immediate consumption; for canning, drying, salting, or smoking; and for reduction into fish meal or oil. The chief use of sardines is for human consumption, but fish meal is used as animal feed, while sardine oil has many uses, including the manufacture of paint, varnish, and linoleum.

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Nutrition:

Sardines are rich in vitamins and minerals. A small serving of sardines once a day can provide up to 13% of the RDA (recommended daily allowance) value of vitamin B₂, roughly one-quarter of the RDA of niacin, and about 150% of the RDA of vitamin B₁₂. All B vitamins help to support proper nervous system function and are used for energy metabolism, or converting food into energy. Also, sardines are high in the major minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and some trace minerals such as iron and selenium. Sardines are also a natural source of marine omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. Recent studies suggest the regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids reduces the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease and can even boost brain function. These fatty acids may also help lower blood sugar levels a small amount.They are also a good source of vitamin D, calcium, and protein.

Because they are low in the food chain, sardines are very low in contaminants, such as mercury, relative to other fish commonly eaten by humans.

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Resources:

www.gone-ta-pott.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Baked_stargazy_pie.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2006_sardines_can_open.jpg

www.freedictionary.com

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November 23 is National Espresso Day

Today's the day to have an espresso! Happy National Expresso Day everyone!

Date:
This holiday is observed every November 23

How is it celebrated?
By enjoying espresso drinks with friends
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Now here's some fun espresso facts in honor of National Espresso Day:

Espresso is coffee of Italian origin, 
brewed by expressing or forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Espresso is generally thicker than coffee brewed by other methods, has a higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids, and has crema on top (a foam with a creamy consistency). As a result of the pressurized brewing process, the flavors and chemicals in a typical cup of espresso are very concentrated. Espresso is also the base for other drinks such as a caffè latte, cappuccino, caffè macchiato, caffè mocha, flat white, or caffè Americano.

Espresso is both a coffee beverage and a brewing method. 
It is not a specific bean, bean blend, or roast level. Any bean or roasting level can be used to produce authentic espresso. For example, in southern Italy, a darker roast is generally preferred. Farther north, the trend moves toward slightly lighter roasts, while outside Italy a wide range is popular.

Espresso has more caffeine per unit volume than most coffee beverages, 
but because the usual serving size is much smaller, the total caffeine content is less than a mug of standard brewed coffee, contrary to a common belief. Although the actual caffeine content of any coffee drink varies by size, bean origin, roast method and other factors, the caffeine content of typical servings of espresso vs. drip brew are 120 to 170 mg vs. 150 to 200 mg.
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Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tazzina_di_caff%C3%A8_a_Ventimiglia.jpg
www.gone-ta-pott.com
www.wikipedia.com
www.freedictionary.com
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